Michael Swickard's new novel about New Mexico

The New Mexico legislative session has failed to
make any commitment to fund the state's share of costs to keep Amtrak's
Southwest Chief on its current route.

The session ended Thursday with none
of the five bills seeking ways to maintain the passenger train line passing.

Amtrak
has proposed that New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas
all chip in to improve and maintain more than 600 miles of track through their
states. The company says the Southwest Chief's route might change otherwise,
causing some communities to lose passenger service. The rail operator would
need to reach a deal with Burlington Northern Santa Fe, which owns the track
Amtrak uses.

A legislative panel earlier this month agreed to commission a
study on whether the state should pay.